Crazy with a capital C

Well I think I need to make an explanation before all of my Facebook friends find out through wall posts. Yes, we got another dog. Here is the story....I love my husband and want to make him happy. He has always wanted a lab or weimaraner. Yesterday, I took Mali to pre-k and one of the moms asked me if I wanted a dog. I said "no way, my husband is trying to get rid of the one we have". Then she showed me him...silver with bright blue eyes. I called Eric to see, but really thought the answer was no, and also called Brandon to tell him. Since the dog was free, it was easy to consider. Eric called me back so excited because this is his "dream" dog. I explained to him that there was NO WAY I could help him with this, and he agreed to take full responsibility and care for this boy, his only chance at a boy as he phrased it. He thinks that Aspen will die soon, she looks pretty bad, and had made arrangements for Asa to find a new home, so we could have been dog-less. It is funny how invested Eric is when it is something that is his. In the mean time, we also convinced Brandon to take a female silver, since we can't find him a human female companion!:) So, right now we have 4 dogs at our house. Last night, Eric got up with the dogs and was not very happy about it this morning. I actually got up less than he did. We aren't sure how Asa will react to them, but as soon as we are comfortable with their interactions, the dogs will go outside. Brandon can't take his dog until next week, but we think they are sleeping better at night because they have each other.
Eric has tentatively named the male "Shank", like shanking a ball in golf, because the dog is a mixed lab/weimaraner. And yes, we are Crazy with a capital C, it is just hard for me to miss making my husband happy, well at least in this way. We are still in trial run mode, so he is not here to stay YET.

Pre-writing???

Mali is doing really great. I'm amazed at how she is learning and growing in the midst of our lives changing so dramatically. Mali loves to write. She is interested in copying letters and is really moving into pre-reading. Mali can write most letters, so while I'm feeding Eleri, she gets paper and pen and I tell her how to spell our names and she works on the letters. She loves doing this. Mali doesn't always write it in the correct order, but it is a start. The other day she copied the letters from the cover of her book and wrote "Red Hen" and then copied "Lincoln Logs". I can't believe we are already at this stage with her!
This is her writing of our names; Brie, Eric, Eleri

Great sleeper!

Last night, Eleri woke at 3am to eat and then slept again until 7:30!!! Yeah for being 12 weeks old. I certainly can handle this for 9 more months if that is what it comes to. Of course, Mali came in and crawled into bed with me at 7am, but it was nice to get some cuddle time in with her. Eleri is getting so chunky on her thighs, it is just adorable, but I haven't taken a good picture of those cute thighs yet!

Into her own room...

Last night was Eleri's first night in her own room in her crib. She did pretty great. I fed her about 9 and she woke at 1:45am and I fed her. She was up at around 4 and I put her pacifier in and she went to sleep, but then woke at 6am and I tried so hard to hold her off, but ended up just feeding her before she woke the whole house. I did keep going in to check on her and make sure she was okay. She didn't seem to have any trouble adjusting, however at 6am, one leg, one arm and the other hand was out of the swaddle! I'm not sure WHAT she was doing with all that space! I was a little sad to move her out, but since she was rocking the cradle, it was time.

Am I soccer mom?

This weekend was a busy weekend, all because of soccer games. Mali had two games, once on Saturday and one on Sunday. She did good, well did a good job running. Pretty much, she just ran behind the other girls up and down the field. Sunday, the ball came right to her but she stepped out of the way!!!! Eric had a revelation that the Mali is standoffish about the ball because the first time in practice that she was trying to steal the ball, she flipped right over the ball onto the ground. Who knows, but I bet she will continue to improve and next year will be more aggressive!:) Mali did enjoy the spectators though. On Saturday, Nana and Grandpa, Aunt Megan and Uncle Chris, Uncle Brandon, and MeeMee came to watch her "play". At least I get good pictures!

Pray for Andi

Please pray for our friend Andi. Andi was Mali’s friend in Lubbock. They lived in the cul de sac down the street from us. The Reuter’s are an amazing, godly family. I learned so much and was blessed so much by Julie in the short time that we were friends. Julie sent me an email yesterday asking me to pray for Andi. She was diagnosed with cancer in one of her kidneys. She has had her kidney removed and has received 2 of the 21 rounds of chemo. Pray for their family as well; Julie and Ryan Reuter and Hadley, Mallie, and baby brother Orin (not sure of his spelling, he was just born when I was going through the molar pregnancy stuff and then they moved). Julie said that Andi was tough (and she sure was when we knew her!), but I still can’t imagine! It has made me appreciate and treasure what I have, but I also want to join in praying fervently for Andi’s healing.
Malachi 4:2 “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing on His wings.”
These are pictures of the girls together when they were about 18 months old. I can’t believe it has been that long ago already! In the second picture, Andi’s big sister Mallie (yes same name, that is how we made a connection at first) is with the girls!

12 weeks old...Miss Eleri is 3 months!

Today Eleri is 12 weeks old, and once again I find myself in shock at how fast it went by. Eleri is such a joy and really enriches our life and our family. She loves smiling and talking away. Her smiles just make our day! Eleri has started to laugh on occasion too, it is so funny and precious. She loves her big sister, especially when Mali reads to her, but has shown that she needs her space too. Eleri is lifting up her head great and is even attempting to sit up straight in her car seat. Eleri loves her hands! She almost always has her fists in her mouth sucking on them, as you can see in one of the pictures. She is also beginning to follow her hands with her eyes, and it is too cute. Eleri has been sick so much since she's been born, so much more than Mali ever was, but she finally seems to be over this round of cough! The doctors say it is just drainage every time! She isn't a huge fan of her tummy time and usually rolls over pretty quick after I put her on her tummy. Naps are a little bit of an issue right now, she is always waking up 45 minutes before she needs to eat, but is still sleepy. It seems that each day I vow to make it the day we work on it, but then something else comes up. She is also not sleeping through the night, but I'm not surprised. However, she really just fusses and if she gets her pacifier or I feed her goes back to sleep fairly easily. We've decided that tonight is the night that she will move out of our room into her own. We'll see how that goes, since I can't nap during the day, the 5 minutes dozes I get help me out at night, but I'm afraid with her in her room I won't get back to sleep as quickly. However, she is outgrowing the cradle, so I suppose it is just time! Mali was out of our room at 2 months. I'm realizing how different #2 is! It seems that we are always on the go. Thankfully, Eleri has finally stopped screaming in the car and relaxes and sometimes falls asleep. Despite my efforts to keep our house loud and never silence Mali, Eleri still is sensitive to noise and wakes easily. Besides having to share affection and attention with her sister (who often gets the short end of the stick), Eleri is just doing amazing. Last Friday (at 11 weeks) she weighed 12.1 (just to compare, which I really need to learn NOT to do, Mali was 12.7 at 11 weeks). We sure love our girls are trying to enjoy these precious gifts God has given to us.
And a video of Eleri:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Eleri's heart

This picture is a picture of a normal heart, and it is Eleri's heart! Dr. Flippin gave us "one for the baby book." I thought that was kind of funny.
I kept trying to think of a clever title for this post, but just couldn't. So, I will just get to the facts of the appointment. We went to see Dr. Mindee Flippin in Lubbock yesterday. She did another ultrasound and an EKG on Eleri. I'm so thankful we went to a specialist and she was a wonderful doctor. She did see a tiny hole in Eleri's heart. She was not concerned though and thought she will probably just grow out of it. She reassured us that this will not impair Eleri's life AT ALL and we will not see ANY symptoms whatsoever. Dr. Flippin said that worst case scenario, Eleri won't be able to scuba dive!:) She said that the hole was a tiny pin prick size. She reassured me over and over that was okay and was nice enough to tell me to call her if I need to, saying that she does "Mommy calls" all the time. We loved her, bare feet and all!:) Also, while doing the scan, Dr. Flippin found that the blood was rushing through Eleri's pulmonary artery very fast. This is called Pulmonary Stenosis. She wasn't concerned about this either, and said that most likely this will correct as well. Eleri was very active and was trying to pull out of the swaddle they had her in, which could be why the blood was going fast. Also, the blood was going just a little above normal limits, so it was really nothing major. So, we will go back in 8 weeks to have her re-evaluate the hole and the Pulmonary Stenosis. Again, Dr. Flippin said none of this will impair her life, and gave us the worst case scenario that we come back in 8 weeks, then 3 months, and then yearly, and she may need antibiotics before dental surgery and can't scuba dive. To sum it up, there is something wrong, but not anything major or anything that may not correct itself. I don't feel "relieved" but I'm so very very thankful that it is not anything worse and that these problems will all correct, I guess I just don't want anything wrong with my sweet baby. Thank you so much for all of your prayers, and as Dr. Flippin said, we will just pray that next time she sees nothing!




We also got to visit the Dallas family while we there. It was a quick trip but as always they were so wonderful and accommodating to us! Beth let Mali stay at her house while we had the appointment. We met them for lunch at One Guy's! It has been so long since I've had a calzone, but it was great. I think the kids all enjoyed sitting at the bar eating pizza (well at least Calyn and Abby were eating).

GOAL!!!!

This morning Mali had her first soccer game. She did pretty good. I was proud of her for sticking with it and I never heard her complain. She asked for blankie a few times though. The highlight was when she ran past Eric shouting "someone has a bug in their hand". Mali was a little more interested in just running around and staying at the back of the pack. Papa and MeeMee came to watch and Papa promised her a piece of candy each time SHE scored a goal, she seemed to misinterpret this to mean ANYTIME a goal was scored, even by their opponents, and would look over at Papa and hold up the count! I'm pretty sure Mali's team won. They scored a ton of goals, although Mali didn't score, but she had fun. The girls finished up with a cute cookie as snack. I had thought I'd just go to Dollar Tree when it was our turn for snacks, but it looks like a certain precedence has already been set!




A video of Mali in action, she is #12

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Mali is #12

Welcome Baby Jove!

April 14th at 5:15am, I became an aunt. Jordan and Chrissy welcomed baby boy Jove! We went to Dalhart to meet him yesterday. But, I forgot my camera!:( It was a great to meet Jace (Christie's new son) and they got to meet Eleri. The White's sure are expanding.
Here are Terry's pictures:
http://albums.phanfare.com/2791467/3733554#imageID=66062352

Jesus Paid it All, All to Him I owe

This year we got to celebrate Easter Sunday with two children, yeah! I enjoyed praying for the day that they will truly understand what was done for them on the cross. I was reading this week about how Jesus said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do". I've always thought of it in the context of the soldiers and Jews that "crucified" Jesus, but this year it hit me that Jesus was saying this about all of us that would come after that point and sin, like my girls. They don't know what they do, but Jesus saw their sin on the cross and chose to die for those sins right then.
This is one of my favorite favorite hymns/praise songs and I just feel like it fits EXACTLY with me and where I was:

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small!
Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all."

Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow'r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone.

For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim-
I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calv'rys Lamb.

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save," my lips shall still repeat.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain-
He washed it white as snow.
OH PRAISE THE ONE WHO PAID MY DEBT AND RAISED THIS LIFE UP FROM THE DEAD!!!!

I had to reflect on the real meaning of this celebration. Now to our other celebrations. Mali and I spent the week talking about Jesus dying on the cross for us and rising again. She is starting to grasp it some what and wants Jesus to live in her heart to, but I'm not sure she is quite there. We went to our church Sunday morning. After "the clubhouse" (What Mali calls her church), she said she learned "The Good News, Jesus is Alive!" I'm thrilled at what she is learning. After church, we went to Dalhart for an Easter lunch with Megan and Chris and Jordan and his family and then an Easter egg hunt. Here are some pictures!

Heart update

Quickly just wanted to update everyone on Eleri's heart murmur diagnosis. We were scheduled for an echo on April 14th but were told by BSA that we would have to pay $1,000 up front for the echo to be performed. Long story short, we ended up getting referred to a pediatric cardiologist and were scheduled for June 23rd. That wouldn't work for us, so we will be going to see Dr. Flippen in Lubbock on Monday at 3:30 to have her take a look at Eleri. This gets around the charge for the echo and we will only be responsible for our co-pay but will get an echo and EKG if needed! Yeah. Keep praying for our sweet baby girl. I'm just amazed at how many people God has put in our path that have had this themselves or their babies have had this, it has brought encouragement to us in a difficult time.

We've been unplugged

I feel sooo loved! I've had several people ask where I've been...Brandon has had our computer so we've been offline, but not anymore. I'm surprised at how much like an arm a computer is, I've been lost without it! I have several updates to blog about, and hope to catch up soon!

Princess Kicks

Here is the latest video montage of Mali from soccer practice. The first part is last week's practice, and the second part is the first week of soccer. She continues to improve. She was doing great practicing with her Daddy last night.

Here are some things Mali has said lately that just take us off guard or make us laugh:
"Don't touch me because you'll get me dirty and I'm very beautiful right now" said to Uncle Brandon and Josh, who were no where near dirty.
"I can't close my eyes because I'm not made that way"
"Can I wear a skirt?" Asking me and her Daddy when she was getting ready for soccer practice.
"God is in my boobies" I've talked with her about Jesus being in our hearts, and she responded this way, very adamant because her heart is in her boobies.
"You're ruining my life" said to Mimi when she didn't get her way.
"You think you can do these things, but you can't"

Disclaimer: the last TWO statements are a direct influence of Finding Nemo. I deleted it off our DVR and told her if she talks like that we can't watch Finding Nemo.

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Good sleeper!

Last night, I fed Eleri at 9 and she didn't wake up at all until 2:45am! So nearly 6 hours and then when I put her back down she slept until 6:55!!! I was thrilled. And I even had a Dr. Pepper yesterday!
Here is the latest video montage of her cuteness!

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Update

This is really a non-update update...but we still don't know anything about Eleri's heart murmur. I have to take her for an Echo on April 14th at 8:30am. It is hard waiting, but I'm praying and believing God will heal her little heart!

Auntie Kisha

We made a trip up to Dalhart this weekend to see Auntie Kisha...it was her first time to meet Eleri!

Matching

Something came over me when we gained a new girl in our family, I LOVE matching them! I even like to match myself to them if I can, now I understand how Beth enjoyed matching her family every Sunday. I guess having more than one child just does that to you, especially if they are girls!

The Girls Stats and some hard news

Today we took BOTH girls for their well checks, Mali her 4 year (her old pedi would only do well checks in the summer so when we switched we got Mali in too) and Eleri her 2 month visit. BOTH girls got shots and BOTH girls screamed! Mali threw a huge fit and kicked and kicked the nurse, then she said "please just don't hurt me" and then told the nurse "you're not listenting, please don't hurt me." She got pink ice cream and a Happy Meal from McDonalds to take the pain away. Eleri gave the nurse a huge smile and then got stuck, and screamed. It was heart breaking!
So here are their stats:
Mali-32lbs and 42 inches tall. Her weights is in the 50th percentile and height in the 90th percentile!!! She is tall but may be in a car seat the rest of her life!:)

Eleri-10.11 lbs and 23 inches long and her head was 37 3/4 cm. Weight in 50th percentile, height in 75th percentile, head in 25th percentile.

I haven't looked at what Mali weighed and measured at 2 months, but Mali's head was also always in the 25th percentile.

I'm thankful for my tall girls!

And then on to our hard news, the pediatrician found that Eleri has a heart murmur. It was hard to hear (especially since I'm on the edge emotionally anyway), but I also know that God wasn't surprised by this and loves little Eleri even more than we do! I also reminded myself of Jackson Hill and Zach Dallas who also had heart murmurs but they have healed/corrected. We don't know anything more about it right now, but will go for an ultrasound soon to take a closer look at it. The waiting is hard!

Mali is a little grumpy from shots, but can walk fine now. Eleri is having a little harder time and has been crying out in pain off and on. She's had trouble eating too, which also stresses me out a little. I can already tell the difference in the girls...Mali never seemed to be this bothered by her shots.

We are in Dalhart now to visit Auntie Kisha...her first time to meet Eleri!

Soccer Practice

Practice #2 went much better for Mali and for Eric. Mali listened pretty well to the new coach, Coach Joshua (the Amarillo High soccer player that is going to coach the girls). He did great with them and it was fun watching them run drills and actually learn about soccer. Mali said that she had fun at practice. There were a few instances were Mali was busy whining about a hangnail that was bleeding and talking with another player on them. During one drill, she did tell Eric and Coach Josh "I can't do that", but once she tried she could do it. I didn't see a lot of the practice because I took the stroller (and Eleri) walking around the park. But, it was much better and much more fun for all parties. Their first game is April 18th and it should be interesting!

On another Mali note, last night was the preschool open house at Paramount Baptist. We talked with the Pre-k 5's teacher about what to do next year with Mali; either 4's or 5's. After talking with the teacher, we decided that she will go to Pre-k 5's next year. It is in the afternoon from 12-3, so that should be an interesting change in pace for us.